Amongst The Stars
by xXCourageousXx
Summary: Sequel of To Touch The Stars. Hermione and Spock had started their mission knowing the tough road that lay ahead, but neither of them could have imagined the attack that would not only break up the Enterprise but separated them in the evacuation. And, in the darkest of their days, they will have to find hope that their bond will bring them back together in the end, no matter what.
1. These Are The Voyages: StarDate 2266-02

XxX

"Well, that could 'ave gone better." Scottie said over his headset. There was some crackling and I knew he was rubbing his face when a big sigh sounded after.

I couldn't help but laugh, "As long as Cap is in one piece." I replied, checking the channels to make sure they were still running smoothly.

"More or less." Came Jim's cocky reply, "They ruined my favorite shirt though."

"Jim, all of your shirts are the exact same." I rolled my eyes, "Are we ready to head out? I think the crew is ready to get on with our shore leave."

"Yes, Sulu can take the com, I am heading back to my cabin to change and will be up shortly. Spock, take this and catalog it, make a note that peace attempts should not involve anything that could possibly be considered a weapon or stolen." Jim replied with a groan.

"Should I send Bones?" I called, an absent third party to their conversation.

Jim laughed, "Ahh, Herms, you take such good care of your men. Yeah, have him bring his bag and some Scotch."

"Aye, aye, Cap." I replied, smiling, and closed the channel. Making sure everything else was set up for a ship wide announcement, I called, "Sulu, we are ready to head out to Yorktown. Jim gave you the com."

The helmsman beamed as he moved to take up the Captain's chair, "Alright, let's head out. We should be able to make it into port by tonight."

I couldn't help being happy; knowing we would get a much needed break and some of the crew members would be reunited with their loved ones. My eyes wandered to Sulu, knowing he couldn't wait to see his daughter. My heart stuttered at the thought, my smile growing sad.

Three years. Had it really been three years?

I leaned back in my chair, letting it swivel from side to side. My eyes reminisced as I fiddled with the red stone which hung around my neck, thinking of all those I loved from both the past and the present.

"If only magic could save those we love without such a heavy price." I mused, my mind turning to the sorrow that pulled at my heart.

"Psst, Herms."

I spun my chair around and came face to face with Bones, who had a Cheshire smile on his face.

"You want to come help me cheer up Jim?" He whispered, looking around the Bridge before pulling out a large bottle of Scotch.

I burst out laughing, which I quickly tried to cover as people turned to me, "Sure." I looked around and caught site of Uhura, who had been reassigned a year ago to the Enterprise after the Farragut had been grounded, "Lieutenant Uhura, will you take over for me?"

Uhura nodded and gracefully came over to accept the chair I offered without a word. The corner of my mouth turned in a half smile; we might be more civil to one another now, but we would never be friends per se.

"Let's go." I nodded and we started towards the elevator.

Once the doors were closed, Bones turned to me, "How are you, Hermione?"

With a huff, I fell back against the wall, letting my foot mindlessly tap it. Whenever Bones used my full name, I knew he meant business, "Bones, I don't want to talk about it."

"Herms, it's been two years." He said, trying to be sympathetic.

Nodding, I let my head fall down, "Two years, five months to the day." The tears started to stain my eyes, "Who knew you could get so attached to someone in a month?"

"If anyone knows that, it would be us." He replied with a soft smile, trying to bring me peace as he snaked his arm around my shoulder and recalled my first voyage aboard the Enterprise. Resting his head against mine, he gave it a chaste kiss, "You've never really talked about it Hermione, you can't heal unless you accept that it happened and let us share the burden. You've been suffering for too long."

Taking an uneasy breath, I nodded, "I can't help but think if I had done one thing different, we might still have our son."

"Don't do that." Bones shut off the elevator as he moved to stand before me, taking a shoulder in each hand, "Don't ever do that. No one could have known we would face a plague in our first year."

"I'm a Healer, Bones, I should have been able to do something. Anything." I whispered, my voice broken, "What good is magic if you can't save those you love?"

"If anyone failed, it is me. I'm a doctor, I should have been able to save him." He sighed.

"You didn't fail." I replied sharply.

He gave a small smile, brushing back my loose curls, "Then neither did you. Alright?"

"A-alright." I breathed, not wanting to talk any more about the subject.

He continued to study me for a second more before turning the elevator back on, "How does Spock handle the anniversary?"

"It's Spock." I couldn't help but chuckle through my tears, "He handles it like he does everything else; focuses even more on his work."

Bones tossed his arm around me as the elevator halted, "Well, then be thankful that for us mere humans there is Scotch. Lots and lots of Scotch."

"Where did you get this, anyway?" I asked, snagging the bottle from his hand. I rose an impressed brow; good year.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." He said from the corner of his mouth, leading us out to the Captain's quarters.

"Jim?" He called as he knocked. The door opened and we snuck in without further encouragement.

"Ahh, the great Dr. McCoy and Lieutenant Granger." Jim toasted with his half empty glass.

I pulled it away from him and gave it a sniff. Gagging I set it off to the side, thankful it hadn't burned off my eyebrows, "That is disgusting."

"And illegal." Bones added, grabbing a couple glasses.

"What are we celebrating?" Jim asked, watching Bones pour the Scotch.

I grabbed a glass and held it up, "I believe you have a birthday coming up, yes?" I asked, burying my sorrow further as I hid behind a mask of joy.

Jim ran his finger around the rim of his glass and smirked, "Another year, another birthday."

"That is sort of how they work." Bones quipped, holding up his own drink, "To our Captain."

"To our Captain." I repeated.

Jim attempted to smile but couldn't quite make it as he held up his glass, "For those who aren't with us." His eyes met mine, telling me exactly what he meant as he shared in my grief.

 _To your Da_ , I thought as we each drank our toast.

"Well, I don't know about you two, but I can't wait to get to Yorktown. I've had enough of space."

My eyes lit up, knowing Bones hadn't read up on Yorktown, "I'm sure you will love it."

Jim winked at me as Bones stared at me, clearly uncertain, and shrugged. We fell into a spell of laughter, enjoying our time with old friends.

XxX

"We are cleared to come into port." I called, turning to the helm. Sulu nodded and started dictating directions to Pavel.

"My god, it looks like a damn bubble." Bones called. I smirked and quickly turned away when he looked to me, "You knew about this, didn't you?"

"Guilty as charged." I closed my channels and moved to join my friend. My arms crossed as I studied the makeshift planet, "It is fascinating, isn't it?"

Bones scoffed. I pursed my lips and bumped into him with my shoulder, "What?"

"You are starting to sound like that damn green-blooded hobgoblin."

I shrugged, my ears perking when I heard the elevator open. My smile grew as I could sense his presence; you couldn't be married to someone for close to six years and not notice the change when they entered the room.

"Speak of the devil."

"Did I interrupt your satanic discussions?" Spock asked, coming to stand next to me. He held up his hand, his two fingers separating from his fist, to me and I returned the gesture, touching his fingers with mine in our silent _I love you_.

"Are you well, taluhk?" He asked, dropping his head to look at my face.

I met his eye and nodded, "Well enough."

He could see through my mask with ease and daringly raised his hand to the curve of my back as we all stood, watching our descent. I relaxed at his touch, leaning into his side. Little gestured such as this meant the world to me; it showed how far he had come and how well he knew me after all these years. Today was a dark day and he had learned long ago the small ways to keep the very human me at peace.

"Are you looking forward to shore leave?" I asked, trying to change my train of thought to something more easy.

He looked to me, his eyes unwavering, "As long as I am by your side, I will be content."

I turned back to the window, a small smile on my blushing face. Six years and I would never get tired of his desire to remain constantly by my side.

My eyes took in each part of the amazing structure, my mouth opening slightly in awe.

Bones scoffed, crossing his arms like a petulant child, "Well, at least it will be a nice break away from open space. We don't have to worry about stumbling across a band of Klingons or entering into uncharted territory and someone shooting at us."

I continued to gaze at our destination as I nodded, "We could all use a peaceful escape."

Bones clapped a hand on my shoulder and we shared a smile. Sighing, I rested my head on his shoulder, _If only I could escape my thoughts._

XxX


	2. Yorktown

XxX

Bones grew more nervous the closer we got to the small port. I'd never seen his eyes so wide as when we entered the narrow tunnel. Sulu did his best to not bump any of the walls but to err is human and, each time the helmsman's hand slipped, Bones' hand would tense on my shoulder.

"An ancestor of the great Harry Potter, scared of parking a starship." I smirked, letting my head fall back to look up at him.

Bones narrowed his eyes, his face a bit green, "Gotta love your bedside manner, Herms."

"That's why you are the doctor, and I'm not." I replied smugly, heading to the elevator as Jim announced our arrival. I looked back expectantly to Spock, who explained he would follow after the crew had debarked and the ship was properly docked.

I nodded and waved Bones on, "Come on, I will buy us a round."

"I believe I'm the one that is supposed to offer to buy _you_ a drink." Bones quipped, giving a very southern, and playful, wink.

I rolled my eyes, pushing the button harder than I needed to, "It's 2266, Bones."

"And you are a woman of the 20th century, surly you much prefer men doing everything for you?" He jested, knowing very well that if I had waited on men to do everything for me in my life both worlds, the wizarding and ours, wouldn't be standing today.

I wrinkled my nose, trying to come up with a quip, "Bones?"

"Ya?"

"Shut it." I crossed my arms and fell back against the wall, wondering why my wit had decided to abandon me in that moment, leaving me with nothing more than to tell my best friend to shut up.

He gave a deep laugh and pulled me to his side in a hug, leaned back against the wall as the elevator lights whizzed past us. I gave into his friendly touch and rested against him, savoring our bond which transcended time, just like mine with Spock's did.

Over the years, our friendship had evolved to include theses affectionate gesture. Spock truly held my heart, but it had taken him a while to meet my need for touch throughout the day. Bones, who was my only real piece left of home, had sensed my need for these small affections and naturally stepped up to meet them as any friend would. It was a comforting habit which continued even after Spock had learned of my love language.

The only problem with our routine was when a new cadet, who was unfamiliar with our friendship, caught sight of Bones and me, knowing very well that I was Commander Spock's wife, and would inform him of my "infidelity". Of course they meant well, but it was an issue none the less.

It happened so often in the second year, especially right after our loss when I had sought out more solace from my friend, that Jim and the rest of the bridge not only took to betting but making a drinking game of it. Spock had an extensive explanation memorized to explain to the loyal informant that there was nothing to concern themselves with when it came to Dr. McCoy and his wife and to please pass the word along to other cadets.

I smiled as the doors opened, finding peace in the strong trust Spock and I had built between ourselves. Never once did his faith in me waver, nor mine in him.

My thoughts turned and I couldn't help but brighten when I thought about the crew; they were my all my family and nothing could break our ties.

"So, about that drink you promised me…" Bones winked and I burst out laughing, wondering if his blood truly was made of Kentucky whiskey.

XxX

Spock and Jim were on the last elevator down once everyone had departed; the latter chattered on about trivial things to fill the quiet so he didn't speak his actual thoughts aloud. The captain breathed a sigh of relief as the doors opened, letting them escape into the masses.

"Scottie said they were headed to the Glass Nebula." Jim informed as they started out of the terminal.

Spock nodded, his hands grasped behind his back as they took their leave. Always observant, his eyes quickly scanned the crowd. His brow narrowed as he continued to study the different faces. Something was off and Spock couldn't help feeling like someone else was watching him.

In a fleeting glance he caught sight of a familiar pair of chocolate eyes which quickly turned away, shielding their face from him with the purple scarf she wore.

Spock instantly halted his steps, gazing after the small being, "Captain, I have something I need to attend to. You go on ahead and I will catch up shortly."

Jim looked back at him, caught off guard, but nodded, "Alright, have fun. Not too much." He said, continuing down the way.

Spock narrowed his eyes and started towards the woman, who was making her way through the crowd, not fast enough to lose him but quickly enough to hurry his steps.

His eyes never strayed from the hood she wore as they weaved through the crowd. Finally, with one last turn, they were the only two present in a quiet alcove.

Spock stopped at a respectful distance, his hands together behind his back and head inclined in greeting, "It is good to see you once again, Skladasu."

The woman turned around, a smile bright on her slightly aged face, and pulled down her hood, "As it is to see you, Commander Spock." She started forward, the light held within the red gem she wore casting an unsettling feel as her smile dimmed, "Though I wish it were under more happier circumstances."

He tilted his head in study, his brow creasing in thought, "Has something happened?"

Skladasu reached into the pack she wore and pulled out a communication pad. Without a word, she handed it to him.

Spock's eyes grew as he read the screen; he quickly looked up to see his companion fighting back tears.

"He went peacefully." She whispered, her eyes lingering on the screen. A soft smile pulled at her lips, "I tried to get him to see you once last time when we both knew the end was near, but he didn't want to. He didn't even want me to inform you of his passing right away, he thought it might change your path, but I—" Skladasu finally met his eye, the tears breaking through her resolve and streaming down her face, "I had to see you."

A sigh filled his chest at the heavy news. He kept his eyes steady with hers; their shared feelings needing no spoken words.

"I'm so sorry, Spock." She finally said, breaking the silence that had settled around them.

Spock slowly nodded, "As am I, Skladasu."

In that moment all dignity was cast aside as Skladasu rushed into his arms, her voice broken in sobs as she cried into his shoulder, "I miss you so much."

With his own propriety set aside by his human half, he caringly wrapped his arms protectively around her, "Selfishly, I am content knowing I will never have to live a day without you. On the other side, my heart breaks knowing that you are alone at this time." He stated. Compassion was not a traditional Vulcan trait, but, for once, he didn't feel like a Vulcan; he felt like a man comforting the woman he loved.

She couldn't help but laugh through her tears, "Did you just use a metaphor?" Skladasu pulled back to look at his young face, admiring the growth she was allowed to witness.

"I believe I just did." He replied, tilting his head to the other side in study, "If you do not mind my asking, what will you do now?"

Skladasu gave a small shrug, her face growing still, "I have not decided. There is still so much to do on New Vulcan; the colony is struggling to stay afloat and the future is so uncertain. I don't think I can leave them just yet."

Spock inclined his head, "Then I think you have already decided what you will do."

Her soft lips pulled up in a smile, "I believe you are right." She brought her hand up to cup his face, "Was I right to tell you?"

"You were." Spock answered, gazing down at her face and taking it to memory. No matter her age, Hermione would always be the most beautiful creature he would ever behold. If only he could spare her this pain.

Skladasu nodded, "He left you a few of his things. I am not sure when you will want them, but they are there for you whenever you are ready." She met his eyes, the sorrow etched deep within them, "I—I should go."

All Spock could do was nod.

"Good bye, Spock." Skladasu chastely kissed his cheek before stepping back, smiling through her tears, "You will have an amazing life."

Spock watched her go, "Good bye, taluk."

Her smile lit up and she inclined her head in gratitude before turning on her heel and disappearing, leaving Spock alone in the dim alcove.

For a while, he just stared at the empty place where his wife had once occupied. He held up the pad he had kept, gazing down at what would one day be his reflection, and quickly hid it away before his thoughts could linger too long on it.

XxX

I kept looking up every few minutes, anxiously awaiting the sight of a familiar pair of pointy ears to appear in the doorway and put me at ease. But the minutes went on and no such relief came.

"Did he say where he was going, Jim?" I pressed, knowing I had already asked at least three times before.

Jim downed his shot, grimacing at the burn, and shook his head. A familiar trill filled the table and our captain reached for his communicator.

"Relax, Her-myoh-knee." Pavel gave a soft smile, patting my clenched fist with a gentle hand, "He vill be here soon, Spock is probably filling out his report."

I forced a smile, appreciating his attempt to cheer me up, and sighed.

"Do you knov, Scotch vas inwented in Russia?" Pavel tried to distract me, holding up his glass and letting it swirl to catch the light.

I smirked, taking a sip of my glass, "You don't say…" I looked to a very ruffled Scottie and gave him a wink, "Why do you think they name it after Scotland then?"

"Vell, that is simple. They named it after Scotland because…" And Pavel was off on another monologue while I got the pleasure to see Scottie slowly get redder and redder until his Scottish temper took over and he let Pavel have it. I sat back, quite pleased with myself, and enjoyed the entertainment I had started.

"You are evil, you know that?" Bones whispered, joining me in watching the argument.

I laughed, "Yes, but the main goal of this outing was to distract me from my thoughts and now I am thoroughly distracted." I replied, taking a sip of my drink, "Aye, what do you want to bet Scottie will throw a punch soon?"

"Pfft." Bones chortled, "My money is on the kid riling him up and him storming off."

"I was thinking instead of money you could put up the last swig of Kentucky whisky you have stashed in your cabin."

He turned to me with wide eyes.

I smirked, my eyes lingering on the pair across from us, "You should know by now that you can't hide anything from me. Not for long, at least."

"Oi! Ye are impossible!" Scottie called, gathering the attention of multiple of table, as he stood up and marched off.

Bones grinned smugly, "And my whisky is safe for another day." He leaned in as if he had a secret to share, "You have yet to learn, my Dear Granger, that Scottie does not get punchy until his fourth drink."

I toasted my glass, "And now I do." He clinked his glass against mine and we each drank.

Bones looked over my head and his eyes grew, "Spock?"

"Spock?" I asked, my nosed wrinkled. Then it clicked, "Spock!" I jumped up and turned towards the door. My heart settling when I saw the tall frame of my husband making his way through the crowd to our table, "Spock." I breathed, my shoulders finally able to relax.

"Hermione." Spock greeted, giving a soft nod before moving to push in my chair as I sat.

Jim clapped his communicator shut as Spock took his seat, "I have to go to Headquarters for a bit." Spock rose a brow and watched as the captain took his leave.

I leaned into his side, "What did you have to do?" I whispered, thankful for the chatter and music which concealed my question.

He turned to me, his face unreadable, and kept quiet longer than usual. I shifted in my seat, wondering what he was contemplating so intently.

"I had some business to tend to from New Vulcan. Nothing of real significance, but I determined it was best to deal with sooner rather than later." He finally answered, adding the last part when he saw my worried eyes.

I nodded, forcing a smile, "O-okay." My eyes wandered to Bones, who was looking to the Vulcan with a raised brow.

 _Something isn't right_ , I thought as Bones turned to me. He nodded as if he knew my thoughts.

My eyes shifted slowly back to Spock as he reached for the menu, trying to act as normal as possible.

 _Something is going on, Spock's never been good at keeping secrets. Eventually,_ I promised, my eye narrowing studiously, _I will figure it out. I always do._

XxX


	3. The Mission

XxX

Laughter trickled from our small group as we made our way through the streets.

"Aye, I think we need to do a pub crawl!" Scottie hiccuped. He swung his arm around Chekov, showing how easily they always made up, and continued to stumble along. The Russian nodded fervently while Bones moved to support Pavel's other side so Scottie didn't topple him into the street.

I rolled my eyes and moved to the Scot's side, not wanting him to fall either, "Ooof." I groaned as Scottie fell against my shorter frame, "Come on Scottie, you two should get some rest. We can go tomorrow."

He stuck out his lower lip, "Can't I enjoy my shore leave?"

I tried to blow my bangs from my eyes as I put all my might into keeping Scottie from face planting, "You can do whatever you want, but when I am the one keeping you from falling on your face, you can't."

"But Mum…"

I stumbled a bit, cursing under my breath, "Scottie—"

"You're going to hurt yourself, Herms. Where is Spock?" Bones huffed as Chekov wrapped his arms around him, mumbling something about being a kill joy. Bones just patted his back and pretended to agree with his incoherent whining.

I stole a glance over my shoulder to Spock, who was walking leisurely behind us, his hands together behind his back and his eyes looking out over the skyline, lost deep in thought. My nose wrinkled; he was right there but it felt like he was worlds away, in a place I wasn't allowed to be. A hidden pain was trapped deep within his eyes, something he wasn't ready to share.

 _I'm here if you need me, you know that,_ I thought. As if he had heard my thoughts, he looked up. Of course it was just in time to see Scottie stumble and me struggling desperately to keep us upright.

"Hermione?" Spock called from behind us. In an instant he was by my side and taking over with Scottie, "You should not be lifting so much weight."

"Oi! I'm not—" Scottie began, his brain too fuzzy to continue the thought.

"Daydreaming again, Spock?" Bones quipped, his eyes narrowed protectively as he saw me rubbing my shoulder, "You alright?"

"Never better." My forced smile didn't convince Bones and I just looked at him, asking him to drop it. Spock watched me with caring eyes and I could just feel how upset he was, it rolled off him like waves, "Really, I'm alright." I whispered, touching his arm to ease him. He nodded and we all continued on our way, doing our best to keep Scottie quiet as he tried to sing one of his Scottish pub songs.

"Hermione! Hermione!" A small, sweet voice rung out over the crowd. I turned around in search of the source just in time to have a small blur with long black hair throw herself into my arms.

I hugged Sulu's daughter close, picking her up and swaying her from side to side, "Demora! It is so good to see you!" I kissed her head, holding her close.

For a fleeting moment my eyes met Spock's and I could read a fracture of the hurt in his golden flecked eyes, I gave him a sad, understanding smile; knowing exactly what he was thinking.

I set her down and knelt before her, framing her beautiful face with my hands, "Where is your Da?"

She put her small hands over mine, her face practically shining with joy, "Oh, he is coming. We saw you and I ran on a head."

Nodding, I stood up and took her hand just as I saw Sulu appear around the corner, "I got her!" I called to the very panicked looking dad.

Instantly he relaxed as he made his way through the bustling crowd to us, "Demora, you know better." He chastised lightly, resting his hand on her shoulder. She mumbled a quiet apology before Sulu turned to our group, "Has Kirk called you yet?" He asked.

"No." Bones shook his head, "What happened?"

"There is a ship stranded, just outside of Yorktown, and the Admiral asked us to undertake the rescue mission." Sulu summarized, his eyes filling with sorrow as he looked down to Demora, who looked equally upset by the news.

I squeezed the small girl's hand, "Oh, we will be back before you know it." I smiled, trying to put the pair at ease, "Where is Jim?"

"He said he was heading to the Enterprise, he's only been able to reach half the crew and wants to send out a ship wide call." Sulu answered, moving to pick Demora up, "Ben is waiting for us at the hotel, I'm going to drop her off before heading there myself."

I nodded, calculating what else needed to be done before we left. Jim was going to need all hands on deck if he wanted to leave tonight.

I sighed, looking to Pavel, who was fast asleep on my friend's shoulder, and Scottie, who was telling Spock how much he loved him. They were in no condition to work.

"My bag is back at the hotel, I'm sure I have something that will get them back on their feet." Bones answered my unspoken thought. He shifted the dozing Russian and wrinkling his nose as the smell of stale alcohol filled it. He rolled his eyes, "And now he's drooling."

I nodded, ignoring his complaint, "I will head towards the ship, help out where I can. Do you think you will be able to handle them?" I asked, looking to Spock and Bones.

"I'll walk back with you guys." Sulu offered. I looked back to my husband and best friend, who accepted the offer with a nod.

"Alright, I will head to the ship then." I said.

We all shared a look, knowing we were all thinking the same; something was off about this mission. We didn't know what was wrong, yet, but we knew that there was no time to waste.

"I will see you guys in a bit." I said, my thoughts scattered as I started to plan out my next few moves.

Spock's hand caught my arm, drawing me to a stop, "Be careful." He warned.

"Aren't I always?" I smiled, moving to my tiptoes so I could kiss his cheek, "I will see you soon."

He nodded and let me go. I could feel his uncertain eyes and I called back, "I will be fine!" I pointed to the stick which I still kept in my hair and turned back around, walking backwards, "I always am."

Spock replied with a short nod and I continued on my way, trying to convince myself that what I had said was true.

"It's a simple rescue mission, nothing more. We have done this hundreds—no, thousands of times. Everything will be fine." I told myself, paying close attention to the streets as I weaved my way through the crowd. My eyes caught sight of the terminal and my footsteps quickened, "Nothing is wrong." The words kept repeating in my head as I pulled out my badge and scanned it before forcing my way through the opening doors.

My foot tapped impatiently as the elevator slowly made its way up. The doors couldn't have opened fast enough, "Jim?" I called, pushing through them just as I had the terminal ones.

My captain looked up, a relieved look on his face, "Herms! Thank God, where is Spock?"

"Helping Bones, anything I can do?" I offered, moving to my station and readying my equipment.

He followed after me, rubbing his head, "Yes, I am still trying to get in contact with most of the crew. If you could send out a message to them telling them to return to the Enterprise ASAP for a rescue mission, that would be great, I would like to leave before 2300."

"Aye, aye." I teased, trying to lighten the tense air. I spun my chair around as he headed towards the elevator, "Jim—"

He nodded as the doors began to close, "I know, I feel it too."

"As long as it's not just me." I replied, thankful I had someone to share the off feeling with as I readied the message.

XxX

Within the hour, most of the crew had returned to the ship. Pavel sat alongside Sulu, his neck covered in patches. He shook his head every once in a while as he worked, trying to focus.

I rose a brow and turned to Bones for an explanation, "It is diluting the alcohol in his system, he will be completely sober by the time we are ready to leave."

"You are drugging him with coffee, aren't you?" I crossed my arms and let my head fall back against the chair to look up to my friend.

"Yep." He clapped my shoulder and started towards the helm to check on his patient.

"You know I know how to make a potion that cures hangovers." I smirked.

Bones rolled his head to the side, "Yes, but we didn't have time for you to make the 20 gallons of it we would have needed." I burst out laughing and Bones found himself chuckling along.

"No, I insist." A familiar voice called from the elevator, catching our attention. I turned in time to see Spock exiting with Jim following dutifully behind.

My brow rose; Jim never let someone enter the bridge before him. He lived on people calling out that the captain was on the bridge.

This was shaping up to be a very odd day indeed.

"Keep that up, Herms, and it will freeze like that." Jim winked, moving to the Captain's chair, "I know you are married to a Vulcan but I doubt you want to _look_ like one."

I wrinkled my nose, tossing my head side to side playfully, before sticking my tongue out. He just grinned and turned to the helm. My eyes wandered the bridge and came to rest on an unfamiliar face. A tall woman, with the appearance of one from an oceanic race, stood beside Jim, talking in a language that sounded similar to Russian.

"That is Captain Kalara. Her ship is the one stranded on Altamid, a planet in the uncharted nebula." Spock explained as he came to stand beside me, his hands coupled behind his back as he looked at the intriguing captain.

My eyes narrowed, my instinct making me suspicious of the new comer, _I don't trust you._ As if I had said my thought aloud, her head turned sharply towards my station. At first I thought to turn around, knowing I had been caught, but I held my own and kept my head up, refusing to back down.

Kalara inclined her head in greeting and turned back to Jim.

"Herms, open up a ship wide channel." Jim ordered. I nodded and hurried to follow orders, "Enterprise, this is your Captain. I am sorry we had to cut our leave short, but if all goes according to plan we will be back tomorrow night. We are on a rescue mission through the uncharted nebula to a planet called Altamid. We will be all alone out there with no way to contact the Federation. All we have is each other. Now, I know I have already asked so much of you but I need to ask one more thing; give this your all. We cannot succeed without every one of you; you are what makes the Enterprise the amazing ship that she is. You are what will make this mission successful. Never forget that. Kirk out."

He switched off the channel, his shoulders slumped. I caught his eye and smiled, giving him a confident nod.

He returned the gesture, "Alright, let's head out. Mr. Sulu, warp 4."

I closed the channel and swiveled my chair around. My eyes narrowed; I couldn't pinpoint it but I could feel the uneasiness that filled the bridge and I was certain it stemmed from the presence of the new captain.

"Oh my god." Bones sighed, his eyes widening as he saw the nebula.

"Buckle up." I warned him, moving to follow my own advice. Sulu, skilled as ever, carefully took us into the field. The trip grew rough; the sky darkened and the magnetic field caused our instruments to shutter ever so slightly. I imaged the starship mirroring that of a grand sea ship caught in a storm.

"How ya doing?" I smirked, wondering if Bones was going to lose his dinner or not.

Bones' knuckles were white as he held fast to the armrest, "Never better."

"How did you even get into Starfleet?" I mused.

"The same way a stowaway did." He winked. I smiled, knowing I had succeeded in distracting him. With one last lunge, we were free of the nebula and back in open space.

Bones breathed a sigh of relief, "Never would I have thought I'd be so happy to be in _normal_ space." I couldn't help but chuckle as I turned back to my channels.

"Vhat is that?" Pavel asked, his voice echoing around the small space. All of us turned to look out the window as a black cloud approached.

"Zoom in." Jim called, jumping up from his chair and moving towards the window. The instruments did as they were bid by their controllers and the picture became clearer.

Uhura, who was seated in the station next to me, narrowed her eyes, "It looks like a swarm of bees."

I nodded absentmindedly, my gut readying for the command I knew was coming.

A humming sounded and I wrinkled my nose. It sounded familiar but I couldn't place it, "Are they jamming us?" Uhura turned to me, her veteran ear joining mine, "It doesn't sound right, it's too high." I answered for myself.

"It might be a different frequency." She replied, our past rivalry cast aside in a desperate need to fulfill our duty to the Enterprise.

"Red alert!" Came Jim's command, "Lock everything down and fire everything we got!" He moved back to his chair as everyone rushed to complete the command.

"Captain, we are not prepared for an attack of this magnitude." Spock replied over the siren as he assisted in the shield maintenance.

"Compact in three, two…" Sulu called and we all braced. The ship was thrown from its course and the main lights flickered out, leaving only the flashing red signal on and blaring.

"Ve hawe breeches in sections thirty-one through thirty-fiwe, tventy-three, nine and six." Pavel called out, "Casualties and many vounded."

"Spock, Bones." Jim called, nodding towards the elevators. Bones reluctantly stood and followed after the Vulcan, who was readying his phaser.

"Be safe." I called, forcing a smile. The pair nodded in reply and I turned back to my board, knowing I had a job to do.

"We are getting distress calls on all levels. The ships have pierced the sides and look to open." I reported, looking through the different signals to summarize what might happen, "We are going to be boarded by the attackers."

"Herms, send out a call to arms." Jim dictated, "I want a pair posted at each breech with a second and third wave above, ready for whatever attack might come."

I rushed to do as I was told, knowing my earlier uneasiness had been confirmed and trying to keep my thoughts focused. I had always thrived under pressure and now would be no different. Still, I couldn't help watching the goings on of sector 9 and the life monitors of our Senior Doctor and First Officer as I worked fervently to get everyone else to safety.

"They are coming in for a second attack." Sulu called as the ship continued to be tossed about.

"Sulu, warp us out of here." Kirk ordered, "Head to the nebula, we might be able to lose them in the cloud coverage."

Sulu hurried to ready the helm but as he went to ignite the warp core nothing happened.

"Why aren't we moving, Mr. Sulu?" Kirk called, his eyes assessing the bridge to make sure everything was working smoothly.

"The warp core will not ignite."

Just then, Scottie came over the intercom and alerted us to the grave news; the small attack ships had taken out the engines.

Nothing was more devastating in that moment then when we saw the only pieces that could save us from this mess drift past the window, no longer attached to our ship.

"C-Captain." Came Spock's voice, ruined by static, over the intercom. The signal was strained and breaking up.

"Spock, what is it?" Jim asked.

Shooting sounded and my fingers hurried to try and clear the signal, "Spock?" I asked, trying to keep my uneasy voice steady.

"I believe I have discovered who is attacking us and they appear to be after something called an Abronath which—" The line went dead, leaving static in its wake. My eyes flickered to the life monitors, growing wide when I saw the now black screen. My heart raced as I frantically turned back to my station, trying to revive the connection.

"Spock? Spock!" Jim called, jumping from his chair and moving to my station as I worked, "What happened?" He demanded.

"His signal cut out, the connection to his communicator must have been broken." I answered, trying to not give into the panic I felt, "Either they took out our power so we can't communicate with other levels or…" I looked up to Jim, not wanting to finish the thought.

Jim rushed to grab a phaser, "Sulu, you have the com. You and you, with me." He pointed to two of the guards and started for the elevator, casting a look my way, "You coming or not?"

"Uhura, take over for me." I called, rushing from the chair and following after him. I just snuck past the doors as they closed, sending us down to sector 9. The lights flickered ominously, alerting us to the gravity of the situation.

I rested my head against the wall, _Please let them be alive._

Jim looked to me expectantly, his brows raised suggestively, before he turned his attention forward, "I didn't grab you a phaser."

My eyes smirked and pulled my wand from my hair, letting the short curls fall loosely around my face, "I didn't expect you to."

"Phasers ready." He ordered the guards as the elevator slowed. Jim readied himself and gave me a nod, "Ready?"

I set my feet, ready to face whatever was to come, "Ready."

XxX


	4. Separation

XxX

The doors opened to the darkened hallway, the emergency lights did their best to flash every once in a while to light our path. The air weighed heavy, adding to the ominous silence of the empty level. Something was definitely not right.

Jim's brow knit as we took up our formation, stealthily making our way down the hall. All of a sudden the ship lunged, throwing us to the side as what remained of the Enterprise began to turn on its side.

"What is happening?" Jim called, jumping to his feet. The two guards who accompanied us were helping those who had been thrown down the adjacent hall and had just collided with the wall.

I pulled myself up, looking out the window and desperately trying to figure out what had happened. I pulled my sleeve down and wiped away the white cloud my nervous breath had created, "They are attacking the neck, the saucer is almost completed cut off from the body." My heart raced, trying to figure out what level the small ships had attacked and which one Spock and Bones were on.

Jim's frustration was building as his fingers tore back through his tousled bangs, "We need to evacuate." His skilled feet took him to the panel and he hurried to call the bridge. I stood back to back with him, making sure he was covered. A chatter caught our ear and Jim turned to it, his brow knit. He nodded for the guards to help their fellow comrades and gestured for me to follow him.

We pressed on through the dark hall, my feet align with his. He motioned for me to break off as continued on towards the intruders. I snuck across the hall and knelt down, my eyes narrowing through the smoke, and began assessing the situation in the dull light. The alien in the middle, the leader, held up the artifact from Teenax. Their language was unfamiliar but I could make out a few words here and there; the one I was certain of was the name they knew the object by, _Abronath_.

Jim caught my eye and held up his phaser; I nodded.

The reason we so often were paired off was because of our shared mind when faced with an obstacle; this time was no different. He needn't tell me when to attack, I could sense when he stepped forward and took aim. My body mirrored his and we both fired as we sprinted across the hall's opening. We broke off, at all times knowing where the other was as we took down each threat. The smoke and deafening alarm added an additional layer of challenge as we fought for our home.

The alien leader slammed Jim against the wall and captured him by the neck, lifting him off the ground. I drew closer, looking for an opening to attack without causing harm to my Captain.

"Captain…Kirk…"

My eyes grew, _he knows him_?

Before I could make my move, the ship lunged and threw us all to the ground. The lights light up slightly and the power came on; we were stable, for now. I slammed against the ground, hard, and my head spun as I hurried to pull myself up.

"Hermione!" Jim was on his feet and pulling me up by my arm. The Enterprise shifted again as Jim reached for the sought after relic; we tumbled down the hall and we slammed against the wall. Jim snatched the box and we were off.

"Scottie must have gotten the power back on!" I called as we ran. Jim drew to a stop by a call box and hailed the Bridge.

"Sulu, can you warp us out of here?" Jim called, his eyes always scouting the hall. I took up my post at his back, watching for any sign of the enemy.

"Negative. We have less than 18% power; I am using everything right now to keep the ship stable."

Jim leaned against the wall, his head dropped in defeat, "Sound the alarm, all crew needs to be evacuated immediately. We are abandoning the ship." We locked eyes in that moment and I gave a small smile; letting him know he was giving the right call.

"The saucer is still attached to the lower levels; we would stand a better chance if we could detach from the remaining neck. We are showing no life on them currently but we still have hundreds to evacuate up here."

My eyes flit to Jim's, the words going unspoken.

"We will take care of it. Kirk out." He signed off and we started down the hall, still searching for the First Officer and Senior Medical Officer.

 _He's alive, I can feel it_ , I said to my uneasy worries, _Bones is too_. Logically, the chance of survival, for any of us, was slim. Emotionally, I chose to believe otherwise.

The Enterprise began to turn again, sending a small group of crewmen down the hall. They hurried to their feet as the alarm sounded for evacuation.

"Ensign Syl." Jim ordered, motioning the others on, "I need your help."

"Yes, sir." The extraterrestrial nodded, looking between us.

Jim held out the object, "I need you to protect this, at all costs." The Ensign nodded and turned around, undoing the entwined claws on the back of her head. Jim stowed the piece away and let her go to catch up to the others.

"Are you ready for another grand adventure?" He smiled cheekily as we started down the hall in the opposite direction of the safety pods.

I tucked my wand away and picked up the pace, "Always."

XxX

Spock and Bones were tossed around the small elevator, unable to tell up from down as the star scape rushed past them in their descended. They slammed against the far wall as one of the attacker's ships pierced the side. Against all odds, they ended up in the right place at the right time and were able to board the vessel.

Instinct took over and Spock overtook the drivers; sending them to their death in space.

"Doctor, do you know how to drive this?"

"Yeah, yeah." Bones sneered as he mounted what looked like the body of a motorcycle, "They taught a class in how to drive any unknown enemy ship my Senior year."

Spock nodded his eyes, a brow raised, "That is quite fortunate. I hope you have not forgotten what you learned so long ago."

"Oh, shut up you hobgoblin and figure out the damn computer."

XxX

We breached the hull, directing anyone who crossed our path towards the evacuation lines. As we neared our destination, I chanced a look out the window and stopped in horror.

"Jim, they are taking the crew!" I called as another vessel whizzed by, snatching one of the escape pods on its nose.

"We have to give the others a chance. They will die for sure if they remain here." He pulled on my hand and took off once again, holding fast to me. He gave my hand a comforting squeeze and I returned the favor; knowing we might be all that was left of those we held most dear.

Jim skidded to a halt before the portal and hurried to type in his code. The hatch flew open and we began pulling down the releases when gunfire started.

"Spread out!" Jim called over the noise, pushing me towards one of the lanes. Reluctantly I obeyed as the attack's leader found us once more and went after my Captain. I made my way to safety behind one of the posts and took advantage of the higher ground.

"Stupefy!" I called, taking the lackeys down with one hit. Cautiously, I made my way back to the portal and continued our mission. My thoughts turned, trying to remember the steps. A blur of red caught my eyes and I saw Uhura running to meet me.

"Uhura?" I said with surprised eyes.

"I couldn't let you have all the fun, now could I?" And, for the first time in our three years in space and almost a decade of knowing one another, she smiled, genuinely.

If we hadn't been in peril, I would have laughed. Impending death had an odd way of bringing people together.

Uhura pulled the last release up, her face straining under its pressure. As it fell into place, Jim got the upper hand and threw the leader back towards us in the control room.

I saw the alien reach for his gun and I threw a curse, throwing him backwards. I snatched up the phaser and tumbled out of the chamber. I looked up in time to see the steal wall closing off; trapping Uhura with the monster.

"Uhura!" I jumped up and pounded on the glass desperately, "Nyota!" She wasn't my biggest fan but that didn't make her any less a part of my family.

The creature came to stand eye to eye with me and I dropped my arms to my side, my eyes slits as I stood off with him.

 _I'm not afraid of you_ , I thought, the hate filling my veins. The sounds of the separation deafened the air and my heart raced as I saw the remaining levels falling away; there was nothing I could do but watch.

"We have to get back to the Bridge." Jim stated, his voice calm and withdrawn as he focused on the mission at hand. I turned back and nodded; he offered his hand, which I took, and we raced back to those we could still help.

Everything was in chaotic order as people were directed towards pods. They made way when they saw the Captain and the Chief Communications Officer.

Numbers dwindled as the evacuation continued. I looked to each face as we passed; feeling hopeless.

 _Good luck and Godspeed,_ I thought, making it my own spell of protection for those still aboard, as the doors opened to the Bridge.

"Captain." Sulu stood to greet his commander, "The last crew pod just shot off, we are now the only ones that remain."

"Get to a pod, Sulu, Chekov." Jim nodded, meeting their eye and letting them know not to disagree with his direct order. Dutifully, they did as they were told. I gave them a small smile as they passed.

I watched as the pods shot off. My eyes fluttered closed. I could sense the emptiness, the absence of life in what had once been the safety place I knew; my home. I felt like a nomad with nothing to my name and no place, and no one, to return to.

"Herms, you are up." Jim called, leaning against the open vessel. My brow knit; sensing his resignation.

My eyes darted back to the pod holdings, noticing only one pod was in place, "Where is yours?"

"It's coming. Now, come on – let's get you settled. We don't have much time left." He motioned me forward, refusing to meet my eye.

"You only dodge my eye when you are lying." I replied, refusing to budge.

"Hermione, I promised Spock I would keep you safe and I am going to keep that promise." He met my eyes and I could read him like a book.

I gasped, my eyes wide, "There is only one left. How is that possible?"

"They took out a lot of the levels which pull the pods up to the deck before we had brought enough up for the evacuation, come on now. There isn't time for this." Jim took hold of my arm and forcibly pulled me towards pod.

"No! I am not going without you!" I dub my heels in, refusing to budge.

He took hold of my shoulders, shaking my sense back, "Hermione, enough! Enough!" He called as I struggled to free myself, "If it means a chance for his crew to survive, the Captain will go down with his ship."

My ragged breath evened out and I looked between him and our last chance of survival, "I think we can both fit in there."

"Hermione—"

Unwavering, my eye met his, "It is worth a try." _You're all I have left_ , I silently pleaded.

He sighed, weighing his options as his eyes wandered to the window; the planet drew closer and closer with each second. We were out of time.

Jim looked around the Bridge a final time and turned back to me, the answer clear in his eyes. I took hold of his arm, not trusting him to send the pod of with just me in it.

He smirked as he helped me buckle in; I made it all the more difficult with my refusal to loose my death grip on his shirt.

"You are wrinkling my second favorite shirt. You can't make anything easy, can you?" He chuckled, making sure I was secure before stepping in to join me.

"I learned that form Spock." I gave a soft, sad smile. Jim returned the gesture as he anchored himself and reached back to activate the safety lock. He pulled his arm back just as the doors latched. Pressure built as the pod prepared to shoot off. Silence filled the air; weighing us down even more. Jim stood facing me, his hands on either side of my smaller frame as he tried to not take up too much room with his lengthy form.

"You couldn't have magicked this any bigger? Your boney little elbow is in my rib." He chided, able to find joy even in the most difficult of situations.

I huffed and rolled my eyes, holding back the tsk that this wasn't the time. As I shifted, my eyes wandered around him to the empty Bridge.

 _Goodbye_ , I thought. At that moment, the pod shot off, taking us hundreds of miles away in a matter of seconds. The Enterprise waned the closer we got to the planet.

I felt myself building a wall to protect myself from the emptiness which threatened to overcome my very being, _I will not let fear overcome me; I will fight and I will win._ My eyes narrowed, a new determination uncovered; _I will not back down._

XxX


	5. Together

XxX

Jim peered over his shoulder, his eyes widening, "Brace for impact!"

I did as ordered, my hands pressing firmly against the wall. The impact came and we skidded across the ground; taking a few of the trees with us as our pod dug into the rich earth.

Jim began to cough, the wind knocked out of him, as the dust settled, "That wasn't too bad." He forced a grin as he hovered above me, taking care not to crush me.

"It wasn't good either." I rolled my eyes, not in the mood for banter as I reached around and hit the hatch so we could decompress. The latch lid swung open and we began getting out slowly; having to adjust to the new atmosphere.

"We have one uniform and one phaser." Jim placed the supplies on the pod and stepped back, rubbing his forehead, "About a week's worth of food and some water tablets."

I started to walk the perimeter with my wand at the ready, making sure we were secure. The beautiful, flowing trees danced in the breeze and the mountains rested along the horizon; it looked like Eden. I knew better, though, and didn't romanticize the myth; Eden was a paradise that held some of the most dangerous creatures. No, we were anything but safe here.

My eyes narrowed, "We should get moving, see if we can find anyone else and locate shelter."

"Communicator is busted, though I doubt we would be able to get a signal anyway." Jim sighed, turning around to witness the distance flames billowing from what had once been the Enterprise.

"How they keep allowing you ships is beyond me." I joked, trying to ease the pain etched across his face.

He smiled and I knew I had accomplished what I wanted, "Yeah," he turned to me with a small smile, "I actually applied for a post in Yorktown before we set out."

My eyes grew, my mouth hanging agape; lost for words. Jim would never give up his captainship, would he?

"We might not make it out of here," Jim shrugged, "And I…I just wanted to tell someone…well, let's head out." He offered me the suit, "You need it more than I do." I knew it wasn't worth pressing so I just accepted the gift and nodded, smiling a thanks. Jim turned around so I could change in privacy and we soon set out.

We walked with a safe distance between us, each of us searching the opposing horizon and keeping track of the other. Finally, I saw another settling dust cloud, "Jim!" He followed my line of sight and soon we were both running towards it.

The trees opened to the small valley and we saw Pavel stowing his weapon and sorting rations.

"Chekov!" Jim called, starting across the field towards him. He checked to make sure I was following and gave a reassuring smile, "I'm sure they are alright. We'll find them soon." I returned the gesture.

The boys exchanged hugs before Pavel turned to me and pulled me into a strong Russian bear hug, "Good to see you, Her-myoh-knee."

I laughed, enjoying his upbeat nature, "You too, Pavel. Have you seen anyone else?" I asked as he pulled back. He shook his head no, sadly.

A branch snapping caught all of us off guard and we turned towards the intruder, ready to attach. The woman who had brought us here stood with her hands up.

"You." Jim practically hissed, storming towards her. Anger trailed after him like wildfire; never had I seen such wrath consume him before. "You knew those things were going to attach us, didn't you?"

"Please." Her translator said desperately as she fell to her knees, "They took my crew, I had no choice." Her head hung in defeat, ready to accept whatever punishment he deemed just.

Jim lowered his gun and roughly tore his fingers back through his hair, his sympathy as a captain taking over, "We need to find out if there are any other survivors." He stood above her, his eyes still dark, "And I _will_ deal with you later." His face said everything it needed to; she should know better than to purposely endanger a fellow captain's crew. There would be consequences for her actions.

"The…the bees took them." I answered, stealing Jim's attention, "Surely they must be still alive. Why else take them?"

Jim looked to the still kneeling Kalara and cleared his throat to get her attention. Instantly, she looked to him, "Take Pavel to your pod and retrieve what supplies there are." She stood up and hurriedly nodded before the pair set off.

I watched as Jim's eyes narrowed; he didn't trust her.

I turned my back to the pair as they disappeared into the tree line, "Why did you let him go alone with her?"

"I can't risk her finding out that I am on to her. They won't be gone long and I can still keep an eye on them from here." Jim said, his eyes unwavering. He spoke without breaking his attention, "Send out your blue spell thing, the fluffy otter, see if you can find anyone."

I nodded and retrieved my wand, I cast one tentative look over my shoulder before beginning my spell, " _Expecto Patronum_!" The wand shuttered in my hand but nothing came forth. My brow knit, " _Expecto Patronum_!" I called a bit more forcefully. Again, nothing.

The pair appeared on the horizon and Jim turned to me sharply, "What happened?"

"I—I'm not sure…" I looked around the small valley, trying desperately to figure out what had gone wrong. Without my wand I was vulnerable, which meant I couldn't help my companions if the need arose, "It's like something is hindering my magic."

Pavel handed Jim the spare gun and suit they had recovered, "For you, Cap-e-tan." He moved and added the pack of food to the supplies we had gathered.

Jim handed me the gun and started to pull on the suit, "Alright, let's start heading towards what is left of the Enterprise, maybe we can send a call out. Herms, you stick with me, Pavel you take up the back. Keep your ears and eyes open." He looked to each of us as he gave the order; we responded with a nod and set out without another word.

We continued in silence, taking care to watch our surroundings. The situation was dire but the beauty we found ourselves submerged in was a welcomed distraction for the time being. Thankfully it was quiet enough that if anything was afoot we would be alerted instantly.

"Herms…" Jim whispered, his determined eyes cracking a bit to reveal his worries. All I could do was I nod, knowing what he was thinking.

"I'm sure they made it off; I know they did, in fact." I replied, turning my head forward and holding it high, "We just have to find them is all."

He gave a crooked smile and chuckled, "Where would I be without you, Herms?"

"Dead. You would be dead." I retorted, smirking.

Jim continued to laugh but as his eyes looked up he fell silent. My brow knit and I followed his line of sight, gasping as the scene laid out before us. There lay the broken remnants of the Enterprise. Our once glorious ship; our home. There it was before us, broken and discarded. In a hundred years, it would be covered in this world's foliage and all but forgotten; all the lives that had been lost would be a memory and the time spent in its halls would be but a wisp in the universe.

It hit me in that moment and I could feel the burn in my throat beginning. I cleared it; determined to stay focused, "Let's go." I called, breaking Jim of his own sorrow's spell. I started down the trail, my Gryffindor courage all consuming; I had a job to do and I would see it through till the end. I would find strength from those around me and give it back to them when the time called for it; we would finish the mission.

Jim gave me a gentle smile and kept pace beside me, letting himself falling into my shoulder to know that I wasn't alone; we would get through this together.

XxX

Bones kicked open the ship's door, taking in the fresh air with a scowl, "Well, that went better than expected. Last time I let you give directions!" He drawled, leaning back in to help Spock.

Bones grimaced as he saw the metal wedged deep into the Vulcan's side, "Good thing it didn't go a couple inches to the left, you would have been killed instantly."

Spock hobbled out of the ship, his breathing ragged and struggling.

As Bones leaned him against the nose, he chuckled, "Good thing it didn't; I'd hate to be the one to tell Hermione. She'd hex me into next week if I hadn't kept you safe. Or punch me. I'm not sure which would be worse to tell you the truth." He said, trying to make the tension ease.

"We…we need…need to contact t-them." Spock managed, hissing in pain.

Bones rummaged around through what remained of the ship as they spoke, "What we need to do is get that thing out of you." He said, making his own medical tools as needed, "The Enterprise crashed over the hill, there, and the other pods were being snatched but I couldn't see where they were going. We will head towards what is left of the ship after we get you patched up and figure out what to do from there. Now, Spock, what is your favorite color?"

Spock's brow knit and he began to question the doctor's sanity as Bones ripped the pieces from his side and placed the burning edge of the cauterizing instrument he had constructed to his skin, burning the skin back together without any warning. The scream was piercing and broke the silence around them; bouncing off the stone walls and echoing back to them.

Spock ground his teeth as he looked to Bones, who was too smug for his own good.

"They say it is better if you don't know it's coming."

"I will remember that, Doctor." Spock said, his eyes narrowed in almost a threat. Bones nodded, impressed.

"Come on, hobgoblin," Bones moved to assist the Vulcan and the pair started towards one of the caves in search of shelter.

XxX

Uhura held her hands fisted to her side as the crew members forced her from the escape pod. They led her to a large platform; the only light illuminating the dark space was from the thin cracks in the cave walls. It was as if they were the depths of hell where no good could keep.

The monster she had been trapped with sad on a crude throne, his attempts at being threatening lost on her. She had dealt with stronger men before who always turned out to be weak in the end; this coward was no different.

"Where is your Captain?"

She tilted her head, her dark eyes studious, "How do you know our language?"

"I know a lot of things, Lieutenant Uhura." He stood and began circling her.

She held her head proudly, "You will never get away with this; our Captain will not abandon us. He'll come for us."

He snarled and leaned into her face, "I am counting on it. Take her away."

The alien crew members surrounded her once more and marched her towards the holding cell. All of her crewmates awaited her there with a thousand questions to ask.

"I don't know what their end game is, but they want Kirk. We have to find a way to warn him." She informed them. Those gathered dispersed to their respected groups; seeking strength in one another. Sulu stood by her, trying to construct a plan.

Finally, safe from the enemy's eye, she slowly opened her hand to reveal the Afsakau Ugaya, which had fallen from Hermione's hair in the scuffle.

"Is that…" Sulu began, his eyes wide and thinking the worst.

"I cut off the neck from the saucer, Kirk and Hermione were left behind and hopefully they got to a pod in time." Nyota answered, curling a piece of her hair up under her head and securing the comb in place so it was properly hidden and safe. She smoothed her hair so no one would suspect a thing, "We need to find a way to contact them and figure out what is going on."

Sulu grinned, "I think I have a plan."

XxX

We reached the Enterprise as night fell and my thoughts were already turning; we would have at most an hour. Once we got the lights on, maybe less.

Though the ship had landed at an angle, everything was relatively intact and we could safely maneuver the halls with ease. Jim paired us off to search for whatever supplies we could find and meet up in half an hour on the bridge; Jim went with Kalara and I went with Pavel.

We decided to split up again once we reached the crew quarters to gather what supplies we could. I rushed into what had been Spock and I's room; fully aware of the ticking clock.

"Terkarf." I called, throwing open the drawer. The little ball of fur purred, unaffected by anything that had taken place that day. Tribbles were invincible, I was sure of it. I let myself smile a bit and gently caress his head before I rushed to grab my magicked purse; I stowed him safely inside in his cage and gathered a few other mementos that I knew were important to Spock.

I rushed out to the hall to Bone's room next where I grabbed his medical bag and whatever supplies he had on hand, as well as a few important memories he had. Lastly was Jim's quarters, but the door was jammed. I pulled out my wand and tried my spell but nothing came of it. My eyes narrowed at my wand, frustrated, and I began to pound the door, searching for a weak spot.

"Her-my-oh-knee, vhat are you doing?" Pavel called, rushing back down the hall.

"Kalara is evil and Jim has a plan; but it involves destroying the ship and sacrificing everything we might be able to otherwise scavenge." I said in-between kicking the door, "I will be damn if he has to sacrifice any more than he already has!"

"Vhy not magic the door?"

I blew my bangs from my eyes and continued to work, "I already tried that. Something on this planet is off; it's stunting my magic."

Pavel placed his hand on my shoulders and gently moved me aside, with skill he hit the right place on the door and it flew open.

I brushed back my tangled hair and nodded a thanks, "Throw whatever you need in my bag. Along that wall there should be a latch with extra guns, uniforms, and supplies, find it and store them in here." I pushed the bag into his unsure hands before heading into the cabin.

My nerves were steady as I worked with precision. I recalled each place I had seen Jim store an important memory he had shared with me. I had become the third part of a trio with Jim and Bones over the course of our journey; I was included in all their secrets and hidden pains and was the one who tended to them on those nights when the pain was just too much to bear alone.

I hurried to gather the pictures he kept hidden away in one of his drawers, his cadet badge and a pin Pike had given him when he graduated, and his father's leather jacket he hid in the farthest corner of his closet. Pavel rushed to meet me and held open the bag so I could place everything safely inside. The last thing I had put in was a drive which I had copied all the ships record onto. He gave a goofy grin; always impressed by my bag of tricks.

"Did you get all of the supplies?" I asked as I took back the bag and tucked it into my suit. He nodded and we started back towards the bridge, taking time to pack the other hall's emergency latch supplies along the way.

Jim was already on the bridge, desperately working to get the power back on, "There you guys are! Pavel, I need your help." He crawled out from under the helm and made room for the young genius.

"I need to go get the artifact, Krall wants it and we can't let him get it."

Kalara looked surprised, "It is still on this ship?"

The lights flickered and came on; the ship was on line once more and time was running out.

"Herms stay here and assist Chekov." Jim locked eyes with me and translated his words; _follows us_.

The pair left and I shared a silent nod with Pavel before starting out after them. I kept my distance, my hand on my gun.

The pair chatted lightly as Jim led the way towards the storage area. My head peered around the corner as they stopped and opened one of the hatches. In an instant Kalara had him disarmed and held fast to the case which had once held the artifact. She opened it and her eyes looked up to him; betrayed. I saw my chance and took it. A hatred I didn't know I had welled up inside of me; pressing me on as I started towards the pair. All of this was because of _her_. The destruction of our home, the breaking up of our family, countless, unnecessary deaths. I returned my gun to its holster and my nails bit into the flesh of my hand.

Jim, who had his hands up, smirked, "I don't know where it went, but maybe she does."

Kalara had just time to turn around before my fist connected with her face. She fell backwards with a resounding thud, grabbing at her broken face and bleeding nose.

I retrieved my gun and took aimed, "Move and I will end you."

Jim slowly got up, clearly impressed, "Well done, Herms." I kept my eyes on Kalara, refusing to let her get the upper hand.

Thuds sounded behind us and a yell echoed throughout, "Ve hawe company!" I fired a stunning shot at Kalara and Jim and I took off as shooting sounded. Lights lit up the hall as Pavel joined us.

Jim was huffing as he ran, a smile of adrenaline on his face, "Are we having fun yet?"

XxX


	6. Apart

XxX

We shot back over our shoulder every chance we got, but mostly we focused on dodging and zigzagging the oncoming fire.

"Did you get a chance to send a signal?" I called over the resounding attack.

"Yes, but I am not sure vhat good it does!" He called back.

Jim was leading our small pack and turned into an alcove for cover, throwing his hand out to catch us. This segment was ripped open and at least three stories above the ground.

"Go, go!" He called, directing Pavel to jump. The young helmsman did as he was told. Once he reached the other side, he turned around and held his hands out, urging me to follow.

Jim patted me on the back, "It will be alright!" He called over the screaming wind. My eyes chanced a look out over the open field where Eden had turned into Dante's Inferno.

Refusing to look down, I took a few steps back before racing forward to make the jump. Pavel caught me just as my feet stumbled; my heart pounded in my chest, but I could feel the adrenaline rushing in my veins. A moment later Jim joined us and pushed us to continue forward.

"What is the plan?" I called, following the boys.

"We blow the ship up, I thought you knew that?" Jim called playfully, never one to take danger too seriously. I rolled my eyes as we pressed on. We had a good head start on the enemy and made it to the jets with time to spare. Thankfully, they were still intact.

"Cap-e-tan, ve cannot hit that mark!" Pavel said, his eyes straining to make out the firing pad.

"Oh," Jim smirked, retrieving his gun and taking aim, "You mean that one right there?" He fired without warning. Before Pavel or I could advise otherwise, the jet kicked off.

"Jump!" Jim took a hold of our collars and followed his own order. We tumbled down the side of the saucer as it began tilting, banging our arms and legs all the way down. As we met the rocky ground, he began to call for us to run but we were a step ahead of him.

The crunching metal echoed behind us, deafening our ears. I could feel every part of my body, my veins pulsing and my heart racing; the basic instinct to survive kicked in and flight was the only thing I could think about.

Jim, who was in the middle, grabbed a hold of each of our arms and pulled us with him as he jumped into a small crevice. Once more we were sliding, we tumbled down the rock face before smashing into the sandy earth below. We each took our time getting up; sputtering and spitting out the sand that had gotten into our mouths.

Jim was the first to sit up, lounging against the wall, "Is…is everyone alright?" He panted.

"Da, da." Pavel muttered, prostrate on the ground.

I slowly pulled myself to my knees, nodding as I tried to regain my breath. I looked up to see the sky concealed by the Enterprise's saucer. My eyes followed along the rim and down the sole pathway.

"Let's move on and find a place to camp." Jim walked over to me and offered his hand. I stumbled as he pulled me up, but he caught me and made sure I was alright before moving to help Pavel.

"Let's go." He patted my shoulder and we shared a smile before heading out. We walked a few miles, Jim in lead, before we came to the mouth of the crevice. The night was dark and blanketed the whole scene before us; the stars were fading but we were still an hour or so from day break.

A light caught my eye and I stopped, studying the distance, "Jim." He instantly turned at my voice. I pointed to the horizon, nodding for him to follow it.

His eyes widened, seeing the bright lights in the distance, "A camp? It can't be ours. Those are powerful, electric lights, like those in a settled compound, not firelight from stranded crew members."

I shrugged, "It might be the attackers; they could have some of our people imprisoned there."

"We'll rest for a bit and then head towards it. Each of us will take a half hour watch; I'll take the first." Jim said, settling onto one of the rocks and making sure he could see both directions clearly. Pavel didn't need any more encouragement and gave a weak nod before falling against a rock. Soon enough, a snore sounded from his corner.

I made my way to Jim and plopped down next to him, leaning into his side. Thankfully this planet was temperate and we didn't have to worry about freezing temperatures. Jim tossed his arm over my shoulder and let it hang limply, his eyes constantly surveying the area around us.

"Jim," I sighed, leaning my head back, "What if…"

"Don't think that way." He warned, his arm tightening around me as he pushed his own fears away, "They are fine; we just need to find them."

I moved my head back, looking up to him, "But, what if…"

"Then…" Jim fell quiet, letting his thoughts take hold. After a while, he cleared his throat, "We complete the mission. We go back to Yorktown and figure out what to do from there. We can head back to Earth, try and find a new normal." He looked to me, a sad smile on his face, "But that is worst case scenario. It will be ok, Herms, we'll find them. Rest, alright?"

Jim knew me well enough and knew exactly what to say to put my uneasiness aside for the time being. I nodded, closing my eyes and resting in the comfort of his presence.

I would never have another Harry, and no one could ever take his place in my heart, but I would also never have another Jim, Bones, or Spock again. They each had a piece of my heart which I would never get back; it was as if we shared an unbreakable bond, as if a similar spirit dwelled in each of us, connecting us to one another. We were a family and I wouldn't stop till it was put back together.

Jim hushed a sound, trying to sooth me as he rubbed my shoulder, "Rest, it will be alright."

XxX

Bones tried not to show his dwindling strength as he lugged the Vulcan along. Finally, they came to a small alcove and Bones practically collapsed once Spock was settled.

The Vulcan was quiet, his eyes wandering to the mouth of the cave to watch the star scape. Constellations began listing through his thoughts, and of course that made him think of _her_.

Tentatively, Bones watched his face, knowing his companion was deep in thought and didn't want to be disturbed.

Time drifted around them and the sun began to rise just over the horizon. Bones had closed his eyes, desperate to rest so his strength would return.

"Ambassador Spock died."

Those three simple words shot Bones' eyes open and he hurried to look to Spock, "What?" He asked, sitting up straighter.

Always collected, Spock turned to the doctor, "Ambassador Spock died." He repeated with ease.

Bones' mouth formed an O as he searched for words, his voice stuttering to make them, "D…did you t-tell…well, h-how do you…" He was about to say _feel_ but thought better of it. Only Hermione could ever get away with such a question.

An eerie silence settled upon the pair and Bones kept darting his eyes to his companion, not sure what to say.

"Yesterday was also the anniversary of our son's passing." The Vulcan's voice was quiet but loud enough to echo against the bare walls.

Bones nodded, "I know." His eyes lingered on Spock, studying him, as Bones remembered how he had been the one comforting Hermione.

"I…" Spock paused, considering his next words, "I have been considering asking for a reassignment to New Vulcan."

The doctor's eyebrows disappeared into his bangs as his eyes grew, "Have you talked to Herms about that?" Of course, he already knew the answer. The Vulcan grew pensive and Bones began piecing things together, "You know, you are part human and it is natural to think about your own mortality."

"A Vulcan's only objective in life is to accomplish something within their field, for the greater good of their race. Death is something we all face, it is illogical to waste time worrying about such things."

"Spock, you might be Vulcan, but you are human too. More importantly, your wife is very human and could have used some support from her husband yesterday." He lightly chided, the fatigue and exhaustion trying his patience.

Spock nodded, his head dropping in thought, "His death was very hard on her; it was hard on all the crew." His thoughts remembered how all the crew members, human and alien alike, just doted on the child. It was fascinating to watch. They always made time to smile and coo at him whenever they saw him, and he never lacked for cuddles. The crew was in mourning for months after the incident; rarely did anyone mention the child now and if they did it always involved tears.

"Spock, he had a name." Bones requested gently, turning to face him.

With a heavy sigh, Spock allowed his eyes to close, "Khio'ri. His name was Khio'ri."

"Yes, _star_. Hermione was the one to name him, right?" Bones nodded.

Spock mirrored the gesture.

"Did you have any sort of attachment to him? At all?" Bones tried to ask gently, a desire to help at the forefront, "He was under a year, but you must have had a chance—"

"What are you hoping to accomplish, Doctor?" Spock turned to him sharply, cutting him off, "To uncover something of interest or provoke a reaction? Are you hoping to prove I am not an automaton?" His brow narrowed, "Very well, if you must know, it hurts. It hurts knowing that I could do nothing to save my son; it hurts knowing that the job I have worked my entire life for is what caused Hermione so much pain. An unknown, primitive disease stole our son. Our supposed advanced medicine was futile, and my wife is left feeling like a failure because her magic had no power over the alien virus. I failed as a father and husband. The fact that I could not solve such a simple problem haunts me and losing Ambassador Spock, the one person I could confide in and seek out for counsel, has left me at a loss. And, what is worse, is that I cannot explain away the hurt; it is the one thing Logic cannot answer for. It has failed me just as I have failed her."

Bones held his hand up, trying to ease the worked-up Vulcan. Only when Spock's shoulders relaxed and his breathing even, did Bones follow suite, "It wasn't a simple problem, Spock. None of us could have predicted such an epidemic."

Spock dropped his head back against the wall, "A day. 22 hours and 10 minutes exactly. By the next evening, we had the cure, but it was too late. Our son was dead."

"He was small, the virus was too strong." Bones' eyes grew as he saw a small smile spread across the Vulcan's lips.

Spock could recall with perfect memory Hermione lounging on the couch in their room with Khio'ri on her lap as she mapped out the constellations for him. Even for his young age, his eyes were constantly watching the world around him. He was the spitting image of his mother, from the mess of dark curls to the curious, chocolate eyes. The only thing that told who his father was were his pointed ears. Spock remembered watching them for a few minutes, admiring the pair, before calling for Hermione to look up and snapping a picture as she did so. The camera had been magicked, as was the picture that developed from it. That moment in time would now be captured forever. Before the epidemic, they had the image proudly displayed on their bedside table. After, Hermione had asked him to take it down. He had complied and kept the picture on his person from that moment forward.

His smile fell, "It was my fault."

"It wasn't your fault, it wasn't anyone's fault." Bones replied, "Sometimes bad things just happen."

"No, it was mine and mine alone. I was the one that went to the planet, I was the one that got hurt and rushed to the med bay where Hermione was with him. It was my fault for not demanding I be put into quarantine at once."

"I'm glad we didn't lose you as well; Hermione would have been a wreck." Bones mused, knowing the Vulcan was too caught up in his own thoughts to hear what he said.

"I remember being on the table, unable to move…" Spock closed his eyes, the memory bringing back the pain anew, "And her holding him up to me, her eyes filled with tears. She though it would be the last time we were all together." Surprise colored his face as he felt the tears gather in the corner of his eye. Without permission they fell, tracing down his face, "She was right."

Bones cautiously reached out and patted his shoulder, "It's ok, Spock. It's ok."

The Vulcan just leaned his head back, his eyes firmly shut and the tears still escaping.

"You cannot have Life without Death, just like there needs to be a balance of Logic and Emotion. Light and Dark…Good and Evil…it is all push and pull." The words were almost sinister, they flowed out and resonated around the dark expanse and encircled them.

"But, I couldn't imagine a life without Hermione. I won't."

Bones chortled, "Glad to know I'm a priority…Hey, hey, where are you…" He stood just as Spock was painfully pulling himself up.

Spock held his side, almost as if he were willing himself to stay together, "We are going to find them, Doctor. We have rested long enough." On uneasy feet, Spock started towards the opening.

"Glad to know the Vulcan thinks so….no input needed from the human…" Bones mumbled, dutifully following.

XxX

Morning dawned, and we began the trek through the forest. Beauty encompassed us once more and life appeared renewed; the destruction was behind us but still ever present in our thoughts. I currently headed lead, constantly surveying the terrain.

"Aye…aye…aye!" A thunderous crack sounded, causing me to duck, and a hissing filled the rocky cavern. I looked back as Jim and Pavel came sprinting around the bend. I didn't need to be told to run before I took off, a good start on them. I looked back to see a crystallization forming along the walls, filling in what was once open. With wide eyes, my speed picked up.

I skidded down the front of a large bolder into a larger opening. My eyes scanned quickly; there was no escaping this maze. The paths still open were even more narrow than the one we had come from.

That was when I realized just how quiet it now was. I slowly turned around, wand at the ready, to find a suspended Jim and Pavel. The cloud had snatched and encapsulated them in its crystal.

My first reaction was to chuckle, they looked like limited-edition popsicles after all, but I quickly rushed towards them with a spell at the ready.

" _Relashio_!" I called. The purple sparks shot out and met the alien substance, forcing it to release its captives. They fell to the ground with a resounding thud, winded and soaked.

Jim looked up, a goofy grin on his face. It instantly disappeared a second later, "Behind you!"

I turned around and shot a stunning hex as I went. It contacted the form and the hologram dissolved. A call sounded out and a second being, identical to the first, jumped out to attack.

The staff she wielded hit my hand, causing my wand to fly across the arena. I threw my hand up and cast a wandless spell which threw her backwards. She was up in a matter of seconds and ready for a second attack. I was ready and took hold of her staff, holding tight as she tried to swing me off.

Finally, we stood face to face, both refusing to release our hold.

I struggled to hold fast, my teeth clenched, "Listen here you bloody git, I have had a very long night and am not in the mood!" She finally succeeded in throwing me. I tumbled across and unholstered my gun; she prepared herself for a third go.

"Oi, oi!" A familiar voice called out as a familiar red shirt stepped between us.

"Scottie!" Jim called, stumbling to his feet and towards his friend. Pavel tried to follow, still not fully with it.

Scottie looked to the scavenger and motioned for her to put her weapon away. He next turned to me and did the same.

I stowed my gun and moved to help Pavel onto his uncertain feet. My eyes remained watchfully on the newcomer. She was tall and lithe; her arms showed the muscles she had built practicing with her weapon. The dark clothing she wore brightened her skin even more and the black lines that ran along her face crafted a mask which warned others that she was a storm waiting to burst forth.

"This is Jaylah. She 'elped me out of a bit of a bind."

Jim stepped forward, hopeful, "Have you seen any other crew members? Spock, Bones, Carol? Uhura or Sulu?"

Scottie dropped his head, giving it a sad shake.

"If they are alive, they would be at his compound." The alien named Jaylah answered.

Jim wrinkled his nose, "Compound?"

"The bright light we saw." I mentioned, beginning to piece it together. Pavel stood up on his own, waving away any further help.

"Let's go." Jaylah slung her staff over her should and started down one of the paths. Scottie trailed after her, showing the trust he had in her, and Pavel trudged after him. Jim shrugged and nodded for us to follow.

I started after and then stopped, not sure if I had missed something, "Where are we going?"

Jaylah looked back, her eyes were fierce, telling of her warrior heritage, "To my House."

XxX


End file.
